Lighting means for motion-picture auditoriums.



F, G. MQPHERSON. LIGHTING MEANS FOR MOTION PICTURE AUDITORIUMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, I914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

8% W .MP/zenrbm WENT) WITNESSES ATTORNEY APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

2 SHEBTSSHEBT 2.

WITNESSES ATTORN E UjillTED eras earnnr coerce.

FRANK G. MCPEERSON, E BEAVER FALLS, PENllSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SHADO-LITE MANUFACTURING 00., INC, BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, it S33E30-RATIOIQ' L DELAWARE.

icense.

Specification of Iiettez's E'atent.

.Application filed April 4-, 1914.. Serial No. 829,596.

7 To all whom it may call-067m:

Be it known that l, FRANK G. MGPHER- sox, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State ofPennsylvania. have invented a new and useful Lighting Means for Motion-Picture Auditoriums, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention has reference to improvements in lighting means formotion picture 1 auditoriurns, and its object is to provide lightingmeans whereby that part of the auditorium occupied by the audience iswell lighted while the screen upon which the pictures are exhibited isshielded from the light source, and the eyes of the audience are alsoshielded from the light source.

There is a continually increasing urgent demand for ample lighting ofthe auditoriums of motion picture theaters, but because of theinterference of auditorium light with the efi'ect of the picture thrownupon the? screen diiliculty has been experienced in obtaining thedesirable lighting of the auditorium without at the same time interiering to a material extent with the exhibition of the pictures. Thecustomary practice is to employ shielded side lights or indirect ceilinglighting, or a combination of the two, but such lighting schemes,although largely used, are objectionable in that the screen isnoticeably lighted by the auditorium illumination and the eyes of thebeholders are more or less disagreeably affected by those lighting unitswhich are placed toward the screen end of'the audi-' toriuni.

By the present invention. ample lighting is provided for that part ofthe auditorium occupied by the audience, while the screen is in theshade and the lightin unit or units are so located as to be invisi le'to the'au- LllnCB as seated and gazing upon the screen.

This is accomplished by providing lighting units with reflecting shieldsso arranged that beams of light'areprojected forwardly or screenward andalso downwardly upon the audience from that portion of the auditorium.distant from the screen, whereby the auditorium in that part occupied bythe audience is sufficiently well lighted so that any one can seedistinctly about the auditorium, but the ceiling and a portion of theside walls, and particularly the screen, are

a1 is the shade. Such light .8 isaproiected toward the screen isprojected against the backs of the people making up the audience andoccupying the seats provided, wherefore the eyes of the audience aredirected away from the source of light when looking upon the screen, andhence the audience is in no wise distracted by any lights in the line ofvision except those upon the screen itself. The result is that thepictures upon the screen become sensibly intensified in brilliancy,while at the same time the audience portion of the auditorium is bathedin light which may be brilliant enough to perreading, wherefore thelight be termed a reading light.

"The invention will be best understood them a. consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with Patented Jan.12, 1915.

the accompanying drawings forming a part scheme of Fi 1. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of a lighting unit at .pted for the lighting ofmotion picture auditoriunis. Fig. 4 is a. top plan viewthereof. Fig. 5is a bottom plan view of the structure of Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 6 is asection on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig; 7 is a side elevation withsome-parts in section showing anattech ment to the structure of Fig. canasshciated figures. Fig.3 is a section =-on"the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. v N

Referring first-to Fig. 3 and associated figures, there is shown anelongated rectangle box 1 comprising a top member 2, side members 3, andend members 4, 5, respectively, while the part which would .c0nstitutethe bottom of the box is omitted: ex cept that there is a short section6' at the end 5 of the box and extending for a distance toward the end4, but the remainder of whatconstitutes the bottom of the box is open.It will be understood that the expressions of position have to do withthe manner in which the box is mounted when in use.

Extending from the center line of the inner face of the top 2 of the boxtoward the lower edges of the sides 3 are plane reflecting plates 7diverging toward the open bottom of the box, and of substantially thelength of the box, except that at the end 4' there is provided a concavereflecting surface 8 curving from the bottom portion of the end 4: ofthe box in an upward direction toward the top 2 of the box, so that theupper end' of the curved surface 8 is closer to the end 5 of the boxthan the lower end of this reflecting surface.

Carried by the end 5 of the box is a socket 9 opening into the interiorof the box and arranged to receive an electric lamp 10 which in mostcases may be a forty watt or a sixty watt Mazda lamp, but the size andstyle of the lamp are not essential to the present invention. The shortbottom length of the box is suiliciently long to coact with the top,sides and end 5 of the box to house the lamp .0, so that any onedirectly under the box 1 and'looking upwardly would have the lamp hiddenfrom view. To increase the extent of hiding from VlCW of the lamp, aslide 11 is sometimes provided with the edges of this slide moving inside channels 12 of the short bottom .portion of the box, so that thehiding portion may be elongated by pulling out the slide 11.

In order to support the box in the mannor to be described, any suitableholder may be provided. n'the particular showing of the drawings a rod13 is secured to the top of the box by clips 14, so that this rodextends for a considerable distance beyond what may be termed the backend 5 of the box. The rear end of the rod 13 extends through a sleeve I5in which it is held by a set screw 16. The sleeve may be rotated upon anaxialholder 17' and clamped in any suitable position of adjustment by aset screw 18. The holder 17 is carried by a'rod 19 which at the endremote from the holder 17 is lodged in a block 20, being made fasttherein by a set screw 21. The block 20 is secured by a set screw 22 toa bracket 23 fast onv a wall plate 2% which in turn may be secured inany suitable manner to a supporting wall. The supporting structures'described permit, the universal movement of the box 1 for-itsadjustment for a purpose which Will hereinafter appear.

The reflecting surfaces 7 have plane bottom marginal portions or edges25 parallel with the sides 3 of the box,and the curved reflector 8 has alower marginal portion 26 parallel with the front at of it produced, arelight unit the box, and

these particular portions serve as cut oils for the light directedtoward them from the lamp 10 and in a manner accentuate the shadow linecast by the box itself, this box being of opaque material and thereforeacting as a shield for the lamp.

T o prevent back reflections the box may be provided with an additionalshield 27 con siderably wider than the width of the box, andconsiderably shorter than the length of the box, the shield 27 beingcurved away from the back end 5 of the frontend 4 thereof and droppingfor a considerable distance below the open bottom of the box, whereforewhen the lighting unit represented by the box 1 with its lamp and boxtoward the reflectors is placed in a position more or less 7 in front ofa portion of the audience when parts of the unit liable to direct lightto ward the eyes of the audience are shielded by the shield 27. Thisshield is an attachment for the light unit of Fig. 3 and associatedfigures, and is used only under certain conditions.

In Fig. 1 an auditorium 28 is more or less schematically indicated, suchauditorium being intended for the exhibition of motion pictures. Thereis a screen 29 shown at one and of the auditorium, while the lightemitting opening 30 of the operators booth is allso shown in Fig. 1.Near the ceiling of the auditorium and in most cases made fast to thatwall through which the opening 30 found adrisabl to employ two suchlight units arranged on opposite sides of the openlng 30 and placedquite close to the boxes 1, it being ceiling of the auditorium. Thelight'emitted from the lamp 10 passes out from the box directly throughthe open bottom thereof and is also directed by the reflectors 7,'

and 8 in sidewise directions. The front 4 of the box with; the lowermargin 26 of the reflector 8 casts a shadow in the direction of thelength of the box and toward the screen 29 and by properly adjusting thebox 1 where oneis'used, or the boxes 1 where more than oneis used, thereisxproduced below the lower margin of the screen 291a shadow lineindicated at 31, and all ofgth'e,

screen end of the auditorium above the'shoiyf line is in comparativedarkness orishade while the side walls of the-auditorium ares,

lighted to progressively higher extentsfromr the shadow line 21 towardthat end ofrthew,

auditorium adjacent to the operators booth. I

The top and sides of the box or boxes 1 cast 7 shadows againsttheceilingbi theauditorium and portions of the. side walls, while thefront 4 of the box shades the screen. However, the reflectors ,7 and S.as well as direct rays of light from the lamp 10 light up the portion ofthe auditorium occupied by the seats for the audience. :xctual testsmasses 3 have shown that this lighting is suificient h is for ordinaryreading, so that it may he termed reading lighting, but the screen islocated in a marked shadow. lhe source of light, however, is back ofmost of'the audience and the source of light is therefore 'far removedfrom the eyes of the audience,

although the general illumination of the auditorium is such as to makethe audience clearly visible, and this to an extent permittin i thepeople entering the theater from a light street to find their way toseats without diiiiculty and without the temporary blindness sonoticeable upon entering man motion picture theaters from a street indaylight or brilliantly lighted'et night The comparativelj, dense shadowat the screenend of the auditorium serves to terially accentuate thepictures on the screen, so that the pictures become sensibly morebrilliant. lll'oreover, the eyes of the audience do not become in anymanner fatigued or distracted from the presence of the'sources of lightmore or less in the line of vision even though these sources of light bein part shielded, for even with indirect lighting ceiling of theauditorium is lighted up and that portion near the screen becomesrisible to the audience, and especially those more remote from thescreen.

With the present invention it is possible .in elongated auditoriums toplace one or more units 1 closer to the screen than in the arrangementshown in Fig. 1, this second arrangement being illustrated in Fig. 2,but

the lighting units 1 are so arranged that their front portions I} throwthe screen into the shadow the same as in the arrangement of F ig. 1.The more forward lighting: unit or units 1 of Fig. 2 might proveootrusive to thoseof the audience near the back of the auditorium and insuch case the shields 27 are applied, so that the light units evexi inthe arrangement of. F ig. 2 are not actually obtrusirely visible to anyperson in the audience, but they serve to compensate for the greatdistance which the rearmost' light units 1 are from the front or screenend of the auditorium when placed against the rear wall of the room. inmany motion picture auditoriums the arrangement of Fig. l is found to heample, but in some of the more elongated ones the 3.1 'angement of Fig.2 is advisable.

While the box l has been described as of elongated rectangular shape, itwill be understood that this box performs the otfice of a casing forprotecting the light giving and reflecting elements, and hence; itsshape and construction are not particularly essen tial to the presentinvention and under some circumstances might even be omitted in part,especially when the reflectors are made of opaque material such aspolished aluminum pr nickle plated and polished cop- ,prising a sourceof light, reflectors asse ciated therewith, and light shielding means"mfich, asbestos board, and the like The rear shade which may be employedas an attachment to the lighting unit when the latter is used in a moreforward position, that'is, nearer the screen than thoselightgivingelements stationed close to the operators booth, may be made of sheetmetal or other suitable material either entirely impervious to light, ormay be constructed so as to give an ornamental effect, in which caseother materials than metal may be employed. The prime purpose of theadditional shade is merely to shut; oil any light spots from the View ofthose persons in the audience sitting to the rear of the shaded light,so that even though the lighting unit be otherwise within their range ofvision it presents no distracting view preventing the concentration ofattendon upon the picture production.

= The lighting fixture or unit is so located in the auditorium as toleave nothing visible to the eye except that the audience is located iceoutlines apparent to the audience, Where- 1G5 fore because of thepossibility of full unob- Y structed concentration the picture beingexhibited upon the screen appears more real and life like than is thecase with the lighting systems in use in practically all motion 11Gpicture auditcriuzns.

Wlth the present invention the cost of illuminating the auditorium isreduced because of the fewer lamps necessary and. since the screen issubjected to far less foreign 115 light than ordinar even in poorlylighted auditoriums when illuminated by the systems now in general use,the screen becomes hotter illuminated and more satisfactorilyilluminatedso far as the audience is con cerned than heretofore, with respect tothe sharp projected picture effect.

What is claimed is i 1. A motion plcture auditorium provided with apicture-exhibiting screen at one end,

illuminating means for the auditorium in elevated position therein anddistant from. the screen, said illuminating means com inclosing thesource of light and the reflectors and open on the under side in thedirectiontoward thescreen end of the auditorium to cause the direct andreflected light rays from the source of light to be projected toward thefloor and toward the screen end of the auditorium, with the screen andthe ceiling of the auditorium in the shadow produced by the lightshielding means 2. A motion picture auditorium provided with apicture-exhibiting screen at one end, illuminating means for theauditorium in elevated position thereinand distant fromv the screen,said illuminating means comprising a source of light, reflectorsassociated therewith, and light shielding means inclosing the'source oflight and the reflectors and open on the under side in the directiontoward the screen end of the auditorium to cause the direct andreflected light rays from the source of light to be projected toward thefloor and toward the screen end of the auditorium, with the screen andthe ceiling of the auditorium in the shadow 25 produced by the lightshielding means, said illuminating means with the reflecting means beingelongated in the direction of the length of the auditorium toward thescreen end thereof with the source of light at the end of theilluminating means distant from the screen.

3. A motion picture auditorium provided with a screen at one end, andilluminating means therefor in elevated position in the auditorium anddistant from the screen and comprising a plurality of elements locatedat the end of the auditorium remote from the screen and at points lessremote from the screen, each element including a source of light, lightreflecting means, and light shielding means in position one withrelatlon to the other to project the light forwardly and downwardlytoward the screen end of the auditorium with the screen and the ceilingof the auditorium in' the shadow produced by the light shielding means,and the illun'iinating elements being situated in the auditorium to be,out of the range of vision oi an audience facing the'screen,

at. A motion picture auditorium provided with a screenat one enchandilluminating means therefor inclevated position in the auditorium anddistant from the screenand comprising a plurality of elements located atthe end of the auditorium remote from the screen and at points lessremote from the screen, each element including a source of light, lightreflectingmeans, and light. shielding means in position one withrelationto the other to'project the light forwardly and d iwnward1ytoward the screen end of the auditorium, with the screen and the ceilingof the auditorium in the shadow produced by the light shielding means,and

i the illuminating elements being situated in the auditorium to be outof the range of vision of an audience facing the screen, thoseilluminating elements nearer to the screen having shielding means of asize to be wholly interposed between the light emitting and reflectingmeans of said illuminating elements and the eyes of those members of theaudience more distant from the screen than the said illuminatingelements.

5. An illuminating element for a motion picture auditorium, comprisingan elongated box of opaque material closed at the top, sides and endsand having a closed bottom extending for a fractional portion of thelength of the box from one end thereof, a light giving means lodged inthat portion of the box defined by the closed bottom part, divergentreflectors extending lengthwise of the box and having their reflectingsurfaces directed toward the open portion of the bottom of the box, and,means for supporting the box'in position to light up the floor of theauditorium and to place the screen and ceiling of the auditorium in theshadow produced by the opaque top, sides and end of the'box remote fromthe light givin means. I

6. illuminating element for a, motion picture auditorium, comprising anelem gated box of opaque material closed at the top, sides and ends andhaving a closed bottom extending for a fractional portion of the lengthof the box from one end thereof, a light giving meanslodged in thatportion of the box defined by the closed bottom part, divergentreflectors extending lengthwise of the box and having their reflectingsurfaces directed toward the open portion of the bottom of the box, andmeans for supporting the box in position to light up the floor oftheauditorium and to place the screen and ceiling of the auditorium intheshadow produced by the opaque top, sides and end of-the box remote fromthe light giving means, said box having within it at the end distantfrom the light giving means a reflecting means curved from the bottom ofthe box upwagdly and toward the other end ofthe box.

4 7. An illuminating means for motion picture auditoriums comprising anelongated box having a top, sides and ends of opaque material with thebottom closed for a free tional portion of its lengthQand the remainderof the bottom open, said closed portion being provided with an opaqueslide movable 'le'ngthwise'of the box for increasing the efiectivelength ofvthe closed portioirof the bottom of the.box, light givingmeans in that end of the box defined by the closed bottom, andreflecting means in the box' for projecting light out through the openportionof the bottom of the box in a. directionlengthwise of the bottomof the box and away from the source'of light.

